The Changing World Of Latin Jazz

Latin jazz - When many people think about Latin Jazz, a salsa dance party comes up, with hot dance rhythms charging behind jazz harmonies and improvised solos. This is actually one aspect of this style - musicians like Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, and Ray Barretto have gotten people on the oasis for years with jazz and Cuban rhythms.

Dance rhythms certainly hold a place in modern Latin Jazz, however a growing number of artists have abandoned the party area for several cultural and artistic influences. These days, many Latin Jazz musicians integrate rhythmic traditions from the broader spectrum from the Caribbean and South usa, often blending cultural elements with modern jazz influences.

Trumpet - Traditional Afro-Peruvian rhythms have played most in the increase of Latin Jazz, bringing rhythmic styles such as the festejo and landó into the style as well a more guitar heavy approach. Guitarist Richie Zellon has combined these traditions with jazz harmonies extensively while trumpet player Gabriel Alegria is promoting a unique approach with his Afro-Peruvian Sextet.

While stateside Latin Jazz always carried a Puerto Rican influence, it's only recently been that artists have place a distinct emphasis upon the thought of traditional rhythms like bomba and plena supporting jazz contexts. Trombonist Papo Vazquez has utilized his ferocious command of bebop over Puerto Rican rhythms while saxophonist Miguel Zenón has dived deep into plena and classic Puerto Rican songs being a foundation for jazz.

Argentina has long been recognized for it's passionate tango, and lots of musicians have realized this music can be a natural fit for jazz. Bassist Pablo Aslan has produced a distinct language for improvising around tango structures while pianist Pablo Ziegler has continued the work of influential composer Astor Piazzolla using a distinct jazz twist.

Listeners often look at the lush bossa novas of Antonio Carlos Jobim after they look at the blend of Brazilian rhythms and jazz, however the style has grown into something much more dynamic. Pianist Jovino Santos Neto has produced upon his long tenure with composer Hermeto Pascoal and developed a highly creative repertoire of original Brazilian jazz while drummer Duduka Da Fonseca has blended the freedom behind a New York jazz sensibility with dynamic samba rhythms.

Trumpet - The party area is obviously still part of Latin Jazz - just pay attention to the background music of Poncho Sanchez or Pete Escovedo to get a healthy dose of danceable jazz. The design has certainly expanded artistically, reflecting a more encompassing spectrum of Latin traditions and providing listeners a more diverse experience.